


Out

by atmymercy



Category: Ranma 1/2
Genre: Clubbing, Drinking, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 20:51:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14756094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atmymercy/pseuds/atmymercy
Summary: Imagine Akane's surprise when her sisters decide to ambush her for a night out.Now imagine Ranma's surprise or more likely displeasure at this whole situation, especially since he's not invited.Ranma x Akane





	Out

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this. This piece took me like six months to finish! I picked it up and put it back down so many times. I'm just so happy it's finished. I hope you guys think Ranma and Akane are written well. I've never written them before and they're not easy at all!
> 
> Also feel free to bother me on Tumblr @atmymercy or Twitter @atmymercyy

"We're going out tonight."

Akane frowned. "Where?" She patted her hair dry with a towel. She had finished her afternoon work out with a follow-up shower. What she wasn't expecting was to be accosted by her sisters the moment she got out.

"Dancing," Nabiki answered as Kasumi gently began to guide Akane with two delicate hands on her shoulders to Nabiki's room.

Akane realized then that she was surrounded from the moment she left the bathroom. It wasn't like she could fight off Kasumi either. Her eldest sister had never been unkind to her or ever wronged her, yet she was still resistant as she was pushed into Nabiki's room, a sister she couldn't say all those same nice things about.

She wasn't reassured when they began to pull out every beauty product in the house while pushing her into a seat. "Hey, what?" she looked to their faces for some answers but Kasumi and Nabiki only got straight to work.

"Do I really need all this?" Akane asked as Kasumi trimmed her hair and Nabiki plucked at her brows. "How fancy of a place is this?"

"You'll find out," Kasumi hummed as blue hair fell to the floor.

"Be grateful," Nabiki said as she pulled back to see her handiwork. "We're sick of seeing you mope around the house after that failure of a wedding."

"Which you had a hand in," Akane grumbled while fighting the urge to glare at her conniving sister.

Nabiki huffed in return. "Yes, if it weren't for me, you would be happily married, right?"

Akane hated the look on Nabiki's face but she knew Nabiki was right. With or without the vows, that wedding was destined to be a disaster. If Ranma didn't feel the same way as her, then there was no point in how beautiful that white dress looked on her.

Nabiki probably saved her that day. Maybe she should be more thankful. These thoughts made her stop resisting their efforts.

"Great. Now that we're all on the same page," Nabiki trailed off as she went to her locked bedside table. The tone her sister used made Akane begin to regret her sudden newfound trust.

"Only 200 yen for a shot!" Nabiki exclaimed as she began to pour out shots.

"You keep shot glasses in your room?" Akane frowned, wondering why was she surprised. Akane would never be sure of what Nabiki was capable of.

"Of course. Kasumi and I always have a shot after every new demolish job at our house."

A pang of guilt hit Akane at this news. Most of those repairs were her fault. There was no way of getting out of this now. If they wanted to go dancing, she would go with. She owed them at least that much.

"Nabiki is overexaggerating," Kasumi's comforting face came into view as she leaned over Akane's shoulder.

"Hmph, sure..."

Akane didn't feel any better with this reassurance.

"And now you're old enough to join us for our girl time!" Kasumi smiled. When Akane didn't smile in turn, Kasumi continued, "And don't worry. Nabiki was joking about the 200 yen."

Like that was what I was worried about, Akane thought to herself, yet she still accepted a shot of sake. She would give this a try for them. Maybe some girl time would do her some good.

She threw back the shot to the cheers of her sisters.

"Let's have some fun tonight, girls," Nabiki smirked as they moved to start Akane's makeup and outfit for the night.

It wasn't long before the three were dressed for a night out and all sitting on Nabiki's bed with an almost empty bottle of sake. Akane hated to admit it but it felt good to forget about all their worries and just giggle and girl talk with her older sisters.

Only Nabiki could talk about Kuno and make her laugh. "And he just handed me 7000 yen for something the university was giving out for free."

Kasumi and Akane laughed as Nabiki re-filled their shot glasses. It honestly felt so good to Akane to do something other than fretting about Ranma and how he didn't want to marry her.

And now that she was tipsy and what she assumed was 'clear-headed', everything made sense. Did she need any clearer of a hint?

He didn't want to marry her because he didn't feel that way about her. She thought this revelation would hurt more but being surrounded by her sisters gave her inner strength that she didn't realize she had.

Who needed him, anyway? All he did was bring chaos into her life and he didn't seem to mind stringing along three fiances, rather than just picking one and he could barely say a nice word about her!

She would find someone better than him!

Just because he was her first foolish love didn't mean he had to be the last.

It was a comforting thought.

Her sisters must have noticed her silence because suddenly the sake bottle was emptied into her glass.

"Time to go dancing," Kasumi clapped her hands together. "Finish your cups and we can go!"

\- - -

Ranma at first wasn't sure of what to make of Akane's disappearance. Lately, she would either read or go over the books for the dojo in the living room. Some shows would be on in the background, yet he found the living room abandoned tonight. The TV wasn't even turned on.

Their fathers sat at the dining room table with a bottle of sake, a platter of food and the game of shogi between them.

Akane's two sisters were nowhere to be seen when Kasumi would usually check up on the two men.

Ranma began to become concerned. Too many things felt out of place and after Akane's most recent kidnapping at Mt. Phoenix, he felt had little reason to stay calm.

Where could she be? His panic caused him to re-enter the dojo, thinking she had returned for something.

All her usual spots were empty. It wasn't until he passed by her room for the third time that night that he finally heard laughter from Nabiki's room.

He would never admit it but the breath he had been holding finally released at the sound of Akane's laughter. How long had it been since he had last heard it?

Too long.

The presence of melancholy had taken over the house since the failed marriage. Soun Tendo no longer pushed for the marriage. Nabiki was off at university most days and Kasumi was dating someone, Ranma believed. At least she seemed to leave the house a lot more.

And Akane...

Her eyes weren't as bright as they once were, at least around him. He always wanted to say something. He just didn't know what would clear the air between them. She had thrown herself into teaching in the dojo and taking online courses in business so she could better run the dojo and he just... watched.

It seemed she was determined to run the dojo as best as she could with or without him.

The thought broke his heart and yet he couldn't do anything to stop it. Every time he tried going to talk to her he ended up insulting her and his whole body would on the fritz. He would just plain panic.

He never even got to apologize for their disaster of a wedding.

It was then he heard Nabiki's door open.

He quickly ran to park himself in the living room with a magazine, hoping maybe Akane would join him now. She was usually working on homework at this point. He couldn't imagine she would be long after leaving Nabiki's room.

Ranma moved to straighten himself out as if to look like he hadn't been waiting or anything. Feh. Why would he be waiting for that uncute tomboy? The one who could now be his wife if he had just gotten his act together. The one who made him want to be better because if he wasn't then someone could take her from him.

Yet he couldn't be the best at what she needed. He wanted to say those three little words for her. Hell! He wanted to scream it all across Nerima until every hormonal being knew that she was his.

He always seemed to fail her in this aspect. She had blankly asked him if he did and he just froze.

Just like he was doing now.

So lost in his thought, he didn't even notice Kasumi and Nabiki walk past the room. Akane was another story. He couldn't miss her.

Her shirt was long where it wasn't needed on her arms and short on her mid-riff so a strip of skin could be seen between her top and her too tight jeans, which he never even knew she owned.

Past the clothes, he wasn't able to determine why she looked so-

So-

So not leaving this house!

"Where do you think you're going dressed like that?" In an instant, he was there. From up close, he could now see her tactfully done make-up, which he only noticed because it gave her a more grown-up look.

Akane looked up at Ranma with annoyance after he had successfully cut her off from her sisters. Why did he always have to bother her?

"Out."

"Out where?" With narrowed eyes, he noticed that Kasumi and Nabiki were also all done up. What the...

"What do you care, Ranma?" Her chin lifted a notch.

"Trying to save you from making a fool of yourself before you walked out like that," he scrunched his nose, acting like she looked atrocious, hoping she would fall for it.

Maybe if he pissed her off enough she would get upset and run to her room as usual. Whatever was happening here, he didn't like the smell of it.

"You're an idiot, Ranma," she shoved past him but hated how her cheeks went red in embarrassment. She didn't look bad, did she? Her questioning eyes sought out her sisters.

"You look very pretty," Kasumi smiled, not wanting Akane to change her mind now. "All the boys will flock to you. They always have."

Akane wasn't sure about that sentiment, even though she knew Kasumi was just trying to reassure her. Thoughts of her old high school days came back but Akane managed to reassure her sister with a smile.

"What boys?" Ranma frowned confused about what they were doing. He was starting to feel like a dad to three unruly teenage girls.

Nabiki shrugged. "You know, all the boys, cute boys, tall boys." She then pointedly looked at Akane with such ferocity that Akane couldn't help but blush. "Maybe THE boy."

"Thee boy," Ranma frowned, "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," gritted Akane, embarrassed by all this and annoyed with Ranma's nosiness. "THE boy has nothing to do with you." He obviously wasn't that. Looking at him now as he stared angrily at her, she should have known. They were friends and they were barely even good at that. They seemed to fight more than anything. She had thought maybe things could change after Mt. Phoenix. He had been so worried, concerned, even attentive on the way home, she thought then it could be possible that they both turn over a new leaf. While she didn't believe they would ever end their pointless and sometimes hurtful bickering, she wondered if they could at least be honest with each other.

That day when she had donned that certain white dress, she had been honest with herself. She wanted to be with Ranma for the rest of her days. She had never felt that for anyone before but it seemed now that she would have to try.

She would have to try and feel that with someone else. She couldn't keep holding her breath for Ranma. She was only hurting herself.

"What do ya mean this doesn't concern me?" It had everything to do with him!

Feeling her anger drain from her like an old wound, she smiled sadly at Ranma. Though, internally she was resisting to send him to the moon. She would be lying if she said she wasn't tense at this moment. She looked him dead center in his face, unable to stare straight into his eyes.

"You don't have to worry about me anymore, Ranma." She had known this all along and maybe even for a good reason it seems. She could protect herself. "It's about time we start to enjoy..." She became at a loss of how to explain this exact moment.

She looked at him finally, almost helplessly, wondering if possibly he could fill in her blanks. He was the one causing all this.

He looked dumbfounded with the beginnings of a frown, one that she wished she could smooth away. he was probably just confused by the change in their night ritual and a part of her desperately wanted to put on her PJs, argue for half an hour in what they should watch before peacefully spending the rest of the night together.

But they wouldn't really be together. Not in the way, she hoped and went to bed dreaming about. No, it would be another night of kidding herself.

The booze in her veins begged for something different. For working towards a real future. To give her the courage to try and actually grasp at something real, even if it was for only one night.

She could go back to being boring tomorrow.

"Freedom. Freedom for the both of us," she nodded and then she was gone.

\- - -

He did nothing but watch her go. He was at a complete loss and it didn't matter how much air he sucked in, he couldn't seem to breathe. Her reaction at the end there, felt like she had broken him. Or them. He had been so ready to not let her step a foot out of this house, yet that look on her face had turned him into stone.

Suddenly he was the doll trapped away.

This was the last thing he was expecting tonight, Akane wasn't the type to do this at all. He began to wonder what Nabiki had on her. Already he could see some crazy scheme being behind all this.

Yet Kasumi had stood there, supportive and caring as always. He wasn't sure of what to make of all of it.

"Ugh," he exclaimed, throwing his hands into his hair. Akane was such a headache, yet he raced through their last exchange over in his head, trying to find a clue.

It was then he realized something when he thought of her last sentence to him. Freedom, she said freedom. The words felt so wrong, yet there was something else that felt off and he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Something about Akane had been way off. But what? He screwed up his face as he tried to remember every detail as best as possible.

Damnit, why didn't he have a better memory?

He couldn't seem to figure it out, though. Her talk of freedom had seemed so unlike her. He was sure of that but why...? The best he could come up with was that Akane had oddly enough reminded him of Mr. Tendo and pops. Why...?

Ranma's eyes popped open and his heart was in a sudden panic. "She's drunk!"

And they were talking about boys!

"Shit!" Kasumi's comments suddenly made so much sense. Akane always had a gift of attracting every red-blooded male in the vicinity.

"Damn tomboy!" Freedom, my foot! You're drunk!

\- - -

It's a flurry of lights when Akane enters the club. It almost makes her forget her angry, yet sad walk over here. But she had to get over him and it wasn't supposed to be easy. Not easy at all yet her sisters gently pushed her further into the club. She doesn't know how but Nabiki already has three drinks for them. It seems she has them well trained at this establishment as well.

"Oh! This one actually tastes good!" Akane doesn't expect it at all. So far all the drinks in Nabiki's room had burned terribly. This one was fruity and good.

Or she was drunker than she first thought...

"We're going to go dance," Kasumi signaled to the dance floor. "Coming?"

Akane glanced in that direction, unsure. It was all so new but the thought of staying at the table alone scared her more. "I'm right behind you."

A questioning look came from Nabiki and Akane wasn't surprised to see that her middle sister couldn't hear her with the music as loud as it was. She nodded to her before quickly moving to follow them with her drink still in hand. She was going to need it to go through with all this.

It was crowded on the dance floor compared to the rest of the club but people did look like they were having fun and alcohol was making her feel like she could have fun too.

Though nervous butterflies still fluttered in her stomach. For so long she had avoided being close to the opposite sex.

Or anyone, really for Ranma's sake.

No, she couldn't totally blame him. It was also how crazy the high school boys had gotten. Not to mention Kuno. Ranma hadn't been like that, though. Not at all...

She shook her head at that thought. Quit thinking like that. Ryoga was never like that either! There is more than just Ranma who could be a decent guy. She just has to give them a chance. Not everyone was Kuno.

A few pretty girls smiled at her as she moved past and she knew as well her tastes didn't strictly keep to boys as thoughts of Ranma's female side came to mind. There was a whole world out there for her.

Her sisters picked an area in the middle to dance. Hidden by the dancing crowd, Akane felt a little less self-conscious. It was almost like she was just another head in the crowd.

Dancing didn't seem as frightening anymore as she started to move to the music with her sisters.

\- - -

It doesn't take him long to catch up. He continues to bound after Akane and her sisters. He only lost sight of them when they enter the club. He watched them walk right in before he attempted to do the same.

"1000 yen," a hand appears with the voice.

"For what?" Ranma grumbles.

"To get in," the bouncer rolled his eyes. Another wise guy trying to sneak in...

"What?" Ranma stared in disbelief. That much just to go in? "You just let those girls in for free!"

"Well for guys there's an entrance fee. 1000 yen, please. You're holding up the line."

Ranma peered over his shoulder to see the bouncer's words were true. He was in his black wife beater and pants, though. He ran out of the house without any money. He didn't expect to need any tonight. "I'll be back," he said, jumping out of line.

It always felt like a twist of fate when he would actually have to look for cold water. Somewhere a god was laughing at him as he ran along the back alleys looking for some source of water. Where was that old lady with the ladle when he needed her?

He stumbled finally upon someone's backyard bird bath or a puddle. Better choices than what he usually gets. He cups the bird bath water into his hands and felt the chronic problem in his life overcome him.

Yet it wasn't his biggest problem right now. Thought of Akane in that club made his abdomen become tight. It felt like his sinew was made of braids too tight. He had to do something.

What he didn't know was what.

But what else was new?

\- - -

This actually wasn't so bad, Akane relented. The longer she was on the dance floor, the more comfortable she became. It didn't hurt that Nabiki would pass her a drink from time to time as well.

A few other girls came and join them and Akane wasn't sure if Kasumi or Nabiki knew them or not. It didn't seem to matter after a while since they were all having fun. A couple of guys had even mixed in with the group. "Sasuke!" Nabiki rang out and Akane eased again, knowing at least one of her sisters seemed to know them and trust them.

It was a lot of laughing and being silly, which Akane was enjoying more than she was willing to admit. It was like being somebody else for one night. To be a normal girl.

One that doesn't have a fiance since the age of fourteen or the future of the dojo sitting on her shoulders. Just a girl having fun, guilt-free fun.

It felt good, even exhilarating when the guy, Sasuke started to twirl her around. The taller boy had a nice smile and was easy on the eyes. He reminded her a lot of Shinnosuke if he had an easier life and not the stress of taking care of that forest. Sasuke, on the other hand, was comfortable on the dance floor. Confident, actually. Akane felt an instant attraction to him. His confidence reminded her of someone...

"Hey!"

Akane jumped at the voice to find a red-haired Ranma staring angrily at her. It was only then she noticed how close this new guy was to her. She had barely even noticed the hand on her hip, intimately close the bare skin between her top and jeans. The same hand that Ranma was now clearly glaring at.

"What's going on here?" Ranma pushed through the last of the crowds until he was in between Akane and Sasuke.

With raised brows, Sasuke casually threw his hand in the air. "I didn't know she was your girlfriend," he smiled one last time at Akane before moving away.

"What? But she's not-" Akane tried to explain as her dance partner left her. Her voice was no match for the music. Her shoulders slumped when she knew Sasuke was not coming back.

"Ranma!" Exasperated, Akane turned on her so-called fiance. "What did you do that for?"

"Why are you doing this in the first place?" Ranma's high voice managed to ring out past the music. His face unreadable as Ranma turned away immediately after these words.

Akane wants to feel some pity for her at that moment but it was hard to find when Ranma was dragging her out by the wrist.

"Where the hell is the exit to this place?" Ranma screamed after pulling Akane to a door that ended up being a bathroom. The music level more bearable in the small bathroom but Akane could still feel the pulse of the music in her chest.

Or maybe it was her heart.

Akane knew if it weren't for the alcohol, her hand would be shaking or she would reconsider her next words. The liquid courage swirling in her stomach was doing its job, though.

She ripped her wrist from Ranma's hand. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you out of here. What ya think?" Ranma began checking the bathroom for windows, pointedly ignoring her. Or at least avoided looking at her.

"I'm not leaving, Ranma."

"What?" Ranma frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I'm actually having a lot of... fun," Akane said as she fixed her clothes, trying to calm herself. "At least before you got here."

"You're talking about that guy you just met?"

"Yeah. Maybe I am," Akane raised her chin a notch. "He was nice and..."

"And what?"

"And obviously liked me!" Akane declared louder than she had first meant to. "And paid attention and made me feel like I was the only one on that dance floor."

Ranma's face became stormy. Akane didn't know what to make of it. They stood there, staring at one another. Akane found her heartbeat racing, scared yet determined. She couldn't break now and fall back on old habits.

"So what?" Ranma's red hair fell in front of his face so Akane was no longer able to see Ranma's eyes. "Only interested in real guys?"

Akane's eyes widened at the implications of Ranma's words that were only emphasized by Ranma's currently female body and how they were both effortlessly in the women's bathroom. This was never what tonight was supposed to be about. She just wanted to have some fun, not bring up any of Ranma's blatant insecurities.

If this moment wasn't so sad Akane would be tempted to shake her head or shake Ranma. How could Ranma be so wrong about her? After all these years, how did he still not know?

"Ranma..." Her mouth became dry but nothing was going to stop her at this moment. She licked her lips before reaching for Ranma's hand. It was almost like holding her own hand with how similar in size and texture they were. Hands that had known hard work and too many katas to count. Both so small...

"I never cared what form you were in." She knew this was true with every part of her body. Sure, it had been easier that first day to make friends with his female side. After she fell for him soon after, it had never mattered to her if Ranma was in his male or female form. All that mattered was Ranma. "Never."

A few tears appeared but she didn't dare shed them.

"Girl or guy, you're always the same Ranma."

The same Ranma that she loved. Akane bit her lip and found herself leaning further into Ranma then she had ever first meant to. It was so rare to see this vulnerable side of Ranma. The part that wasn't always boasting with his chest proudly inflated. No, this was the Ranma that he so rarely showed. The side that was hard to believe it even existed when she tried to think back on it, alone in her room. The side that always seemed to disappear before she could truly understand it.

The one she wanted to kiss now. If she just tilted her face up a little...

No.

Her hand slipped away and suddenly it was easier to breathe and Akane was able to take a step back. There was no containing the tears anymore.

"But I can't do this anymore," she shook her head, "I never cared about you being a girl or guy. Never and yet you didn't know that about because we live in this constant state of being our sixteen-year-old selves. Nothing ever changes. We're fiances and yet we're not. We're friends but we fight constantly. We save each other, yet you still have other suitors." Ones that Ranma never truly declined. Something that always ate at her. Ukyo always cuter than her. Shampoo always stronger than her. Girls she would never be.

"So what? Friends can't fight sometimes?" Ranma stared at her like she wasn't making any sense.

Akane knew she was right but also knew it wasn't actually explaining their problems. "I'm sick of it! I'm sick of fighting all the time. I don't want to be sixteen anymore!" She dropped his hand and shook her head to try and dissuade the tears.

Ranma stared at his now cooling hand before looking angrily up at Akane. "We're not!"

"We act like we are!" Akane didn't know how to explain this to Ranma. Kami, why was he always so frustrating? "I want a life! I want to do more than fight! I'm done high school and I still haven't gotten a first kiss!"

"Hey-"

Ranma opened his mouth, ready to argue the point but Akane put her hand up. "I mean a real first kiss, Ranma." A tear slipped down. "I'm sick of standing still..." Akane finally lets her bangs fall forward, hiding her eyes.

"Akane..."

She shook her head. "Which is why I'm leaving. Go home, Ranma."

\- - -

"Go home, Ranma."

As if it was that easy. Ranma wanted nothing more than to just go home, get into bed and pretend none of this happened. To go back to what they had been like before this horrible day. To spend the night arguing in front of the television.

To be with Akane, the only person he wanted to spend his time with.

Even if it was arguing.

When had that changed for Akane?

He had thought there were in a better place since... Since Mt. Phoenix, which he hated to think about. The place he had almost lost her.

Since then it felt like they had fallen into some kind of understanding. A pattern of life that was somewhat comfortable. Not perfect, sure but easy and doable.

Even Ranma could admit to that. He still couldn't say the words. The three words she wanted probably the most. The same three that he was desperate to say.

And hear.

He doubted those three words would fix everything now but at least it would be a step forward. It wouldn't fix the problems that were Shampoo and Ukyo. Or Ryoga. Or any of it now.

He stepped out of the bathroom after splashing a cup of hot water over his head, hoping it would clear his head. He didn't see the funny looks he got for leaving the girl's bathroom.

No, his eyes were searching for Akane. She was waving Kasumi off who was looking at Akane with concern. He could see Akane was trying to convince her sister that she was fine. She even started to dance again.

He knew he should go home. If he wasn't willing to... To what? He wasn't even sure what would fix this. There was no clear enemy. No opponent for him to defeat. This wasn't his area of expertise.

He could defend her. He could protect her but he couldn't give her what she needed. He looked away in disgust at that moment.

Disgust in himself.

Why couldn't he give her what she clearly needed? Why was he so incapable of being near her without being cruel? Why couldn't he just be truthful with her?

Or intimate with her?

Even now he felt the urge to jump off every wall at even the thought of kissing Akane. Kami, did he want to but then every nerve in his body would tell him to jump and flee. His hands even began to shake before he crossed in front of his chest.

It's like every time he thought of being truthful or close to Akane, all his pent-up feeling would implode within him. Leaving him ricocheting around the room.

Because he wanted it all!

Staring at the exit now, he knew it with every fiber of his being. He wanted it all! He wanted it all when he was sixteen and it only got worse with every passing year and adventure. He knew it every time he caught her in mid-air and got to feel her form against his.

He knew it when had clutched at her lifeless body at Mt. Phoenix and felt like his life had ended with hers.

When he lost the ability to use his hand, yet all he did was think of her. He didn't think of anything or anyone else. He didn't think of all the moves he had lost. He didn't think of the punches he was losing out on. He didn't think of how he'd never continue his family's martial arts.

He thought of her as he always did since that fateful day they had met.

He thought of her.

And he was going to lose her now if he didn't start acting on these thoughts. It would be all his fault. He couldn't blame this on Pop or one of Nabiki's schemes. He couldn't even blame this on Akane.

No, she had tried. She had willingly put on that white wedding dress while he had been knocked unconscious and dressed. Even after that failure of a wedding she had tried to hint at a future together for a while. Trying to figure out what he wanted.

He couldn't blame her for giving up on him. It wasn't he ever gave her a hint. A hope. No, he had done the opposite always. Brush off every optimistic notion. Laugh off her hints. Even pick at every lick of evidence or insecurity she dared show him.

Anything rather than admit to what he was feeling. That he cared for her, deeply. That he would rather die than let a single misfortune befall on her again.

Yet he couldn't speak a word of this, no matter how many times she tried to get it out of him. It wasn't like he was dead and blind. He had seen the way her eyes would flit to him. Always asking the same question. Waiting for any hint that he might want to throw her way.

Even now in that bathroom, he had been unable to speak a word of it. It had been his last chance. She had admitted to things. There had been no interruptions. No Shampoo. No Ukyo. NOthing. He couldn't blame some evil twist of fate. She had been so close too...

"Useless," he muttered, feeling something inside of him that he hated. He was nothing but a common coward.

He might as well run for the hills like his father had always taught him.

Everything that had gone on in there was his fault. All because he couldn't put himself in motion. Because he couldn't fight the most important battle of his life. The battle against himself for Akane.

The stakes had never been higher and yet he was losing. It wasn't even a good fight. He was utterly defeated, defenseless and unable to attack.

So many fights had been so much easier than this. He would punch anyone who dared near Akane. Why couldn't he let himself get close, though?

Before he could try and figure out his solutions, another problem arose. He could feel his blood rising at the sight of a beautiful girl near Akane, too near. His hands turned to fists. Already his once glued feet were reacting as he pushed through the crowds.

Maybe this was the shove he needed. Something he always required in a fight.

An opponent.

Someone to beat and nobody was beating him to Akane. It didn't matter if this other girl had a head start as the unknown suitor whispered into Akane's ear causing Akane to blush.

It only pushed Ranma on. He knew internally that he couldn't always rely on some external force. There wasn't always going to be an opponent for Akane's hand. Kami, he hopes that there wouldn't always be one.

But he had to take this chance now. This push that he had been given before he lost all this momentum and would allow her to easily walk out of his life.

He had to fight for her.

"Akane!"

\- - -

"Ranma?"

Akane stared up in surprise, not expecting to see him. How much time had passed since she had left the bathroom? She had thought he had gone home.

Yet suddenly he was there, slipping between her and the girl who had just introduced herself as Yue. She had done it in such a way when she leaned in that Yue's dangling earrings and long dark hair had brushed against Akane's neck and revealed shoulders.

The affection deprived Akane had instinctively blushed to even the merest of touches. She was nineteen and had barely held hands. This is why she came tonight. This is what she needed. This is why she smiled shyly at the pretty Yue, who seemed to be spurred on by this.

Yue had been about to grab Akane's hand when suddenly Ranma was there. Something filled Akane's chest at the sight of him, unsure if it was excitement or disappointment. She would never know because abruptly his big hand were covering hers and tugging her along.

She hadn't even given Yue her name before Ranma was taking her away again.

Akane didn't take it as well as last time as she gritted her teeth and fought his hold. "Ranma, let go!" she tugged at her arm, trying to return to Yue, who was now gawking at them as well as her sisters.

How many times did she have to tell him? Didn't he see this hurt her? That she couldn't keep spelling it out for him. That it broke a piece of her heart every time. How was she supposed to get over him this way?

He wouldn't have any of it, though. His grip was iron-clad, yet Akane continued to fight him. Until suddenly she was whipped around. She lost her breath as the world spun around her, dizzying her already alcohol-muddled brain.

It took a couple of blinks before realizing Ranma now had her pinned against the wall. His chest was so close to hers with the shuffling of people moving around the club. His hands were planted on her shoulders, stiff and keeping her in place.

An anger burst through her for Ranma thinking he could just manhandle her or for thinking he could decide if she was allowed to go to dance clubs, assuming he was just going to drag her home now. Fiance or not, he didn't get to control her.

Just because he didn't want her didn't mean she had to stay home and become an old maid.

"Ranma!" she yelled while trying to put her fury into words. Either way, she knew she was moments away from throwing her fists into his gut and fleeing from him for the last time that night!

His right hand moved from her shoulder and shakily slipped up her neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Finally, he cupped her face, still shaking; rattling free any anger she may have had. She so badly wanted to see his eyes. To try and read him but he was crouched over her. His lips only inches away from her ears like Yue had once been. His breath hot and igniting something between her legs. She found herself pushing her thighs together after his next words.

"I-I can't bear to see you with anyone but me."

Not a confession per se but it still stopped Akane in her place. "Ranma," she repeated this time softer, trying to catch up with her beating heart. Slowly she nudged her head to his, hoping he would look at her. She needed to see him. Really see him.

She felt a shuddering breathe go through him before he raised his head enough so she could see his eyes. She was taken back by how much she saw behind his eyes. So much anxiety and worry, yet the yearning was what fought its way to the forefront.

She gasped, unsure of how to proceed in such a delicate situation. It was all so new to them. Neither of them practiced in the arts of love or even desire. Acts that they had long been fighting against. Having fought it more than they fought each other.

All those squabbles and bitter words felt like nothing but tension now. Barriers to what they truly wished to say and do to each other. She felt that power within her now. One yell of pervert and he would be fleeing from her again. A frightful temptation to release them both from this intimate spell. The coward's way out and the last thing she wanted but she didn't know what else to do. All her automatic responses would ruin them for good and her mind was failing to come up with a better response than her usual punch.

Even through all the jostling and scuffles of the crowds around them, she could feel him buzzing. Almost like he was jumping in his own skin. It reminded her of when they had played Romeo and Juliet and he had begun to bounce around and shake from even the prospect of the big kiss scene. One moment she had been able to see him from the coffin and the next, all she saw was his bounding head like a rabbit on crack. His words coming out in a hurry, almost undecipherable.

Her fingers curled into the material of his shirt, acknowledging at any moment she could lose him if she didn't do something. That he could skyrocket out of this room was evident in his mind as well as his hold on her tightened.

Yet his eyes were keenly placed below her eyes. It was like a bomb went off in her mind. He wanted to kiss her! It wasn't just holding her close that was setting him off, it was that he was trying to build up the courage to do something they had never truly done. Something he was obviously thinking about with how his tongue peeked out to wet his lips, shaking all the way.

She would be lying if she said it wasn't something she had thought about on multiple occasions. Honestly, she had thought about it more time than she would care to admit since that first day Ranma became a 'cat'. There had been times they had come close to it but their nerves would fail them every time.

Except for this time Akane had a stomach swirling with rum and vodka. With his words still clinging to her brain and his flickering eyes distracting every nerve in her body, unintentionally Akane stretched her chest out wanting to feel him against every surface of her body. She wanted to jump him. Liquid courage and pent-up hormones were absolutely doing its job in that aspect but she was also scared to frighten him away when she finally truly had him in her grasps.

Slowly, the hold on his shirt was pulled taut until he was only millimeters from her and her lips slipped slightly open, barely able to calm her own breathing after the dancing and now all this adrenaline. "Then be with me, Ranma," she declared before her lips were reaching for his.

\- - -

Not a single drink had passed his lips but Ranma was instantly drunk on her. His chest felt like it could explode. The only other time he had truly felt this was when she had awoken in his arms after her near death. He had exploded into tears but this time it was nothing but passion. He couldn't get enough of her.

His hand still shook as it got swept up in her hair but he could feel her centering him with every sweep of her mouth. He had always expected their first kiss would be soft and hesitant. Maybe because they had met at such a young age and he had been imagining it for too long.

There was nothing slow and shy about this kiss though. Every inch of his front was pressed against her and there was no hiding what was happening in his pants and yet Akane only seemed to push back at him harder. His other hand was testing the waters of her bare mid-riff, touching areas he never dared to before.

He should have known better for their first kiss with how physical of beings they had always been. Kami, they should have done this so long ago. Neither of them was ever good with their words but physical moves were made for them. So many fights could have been avoided. So many misunderstandings could have been pushed aside if he had just kissed her sooner. It didn't matter now. Ranma swore nothing else would ever be getting between him and Akane again.

He was meant to be the one pushed up against her. Kami, maybe even inside of her...

Finally finding his own bravery, Ranma pressed breathy kisses to her neck. Licking and tasting sweat that was flowery in nature and tightening muscles in his groin. "Fuck," he grunted, his hips instinctively rushing forward to only make Akane sweetly gasp, her head falling back.

His eyes rushed to the look on her face, worried that the sound could be misconstrued as bad. Though, the blush on her face said differently. Ranma right then and there cursed this damn club. For all, he knew she had been making noises this whole time and he couldn't hear a lick of it because of the damn ear pounding music.

Kami, did he want to hear every single sound he could emit from her. His hold on her hip curled tighter.

"We need to get out of here," he said, his eyes frantic, hoping for her confirmation.

She leaned forward, her lips brushing the skin of his ear. "Take me from here," her voice was shaky but when she pulled back and Ranma saw a smile blossom on her.

He didn't need to be told twice. It didn't matter that he had a problem finding this damn exit. He'd make one if he had to.

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think! It's my first Ranma piece ever. Also one of the longest stand alone stories I've ever written at almost 7,500 words. Haha


End file.
